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Rancho Cordova Independent

Charles Chiu, “Far East Deep South” Documentary Subject, Died

Aug 21, 2024 10:03AM ● By Giant Flashlight Media News Release

Chiu was a beloved member of the community. Photo courtesy of Giant Flashlight Media


RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Rancho Cordova resident and U.S. Air Force veteran Charles Chiu, who was the central figure in the award-winning documentary “Far East Deep South,” died on Aug. 4 at age 86.

Chiu, a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away with his family by his side following cardiac arrest and a prolonged battle with kidney disease.

Chiu served honorably for 25 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a master sergeant. Throughout his career, he was primarily stationed at Travis Air Force Base as well at the McClellen and Mather Air Force Bases. He also dedicated more than 30 years working for the Employment Development Department (EDD).

Born on April 17, 1938, in Sunwui (also known as Xinhui), China, Chiu was the son of K.C. Lou, a merchant in Pace, Mississippi, and Jung Yuk Lon. When Chiu was one year old, his father returned to the U.S. to run their family grocery store. Strict U.S. immigration laws of that era, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, made it difficult for Chinese women and children to enter the United States. When Charles was eight years old, his father died in Mississippi, and as a result, Chiu never had the opportunity to know him. His quest to recover his lost history is chronicled in “Far East Deep South.”


Charles Chiu and family enjoyed time in Mississippi. Photo courtesy of Giant Flashlight Media


Chiu immigrated to the U.S. at 14 aboard the S.S. Cleveland, arriving in San Francisco in 1952 with his grandmother. He attended and graduated from Oakland Technical High School while working various jobs to support himself and his grandmother. He married Rebecca, on Aug. 12, 1973, in San Francisco and enjoyed nearly 51 years together, raising two sons, Baldwin and Edwin. In 1982, Chiu moved his family from San Francisco to Rancho Cordova, where he lived until his death.

In recent years, Chiu developed a profound understanding of his family’s history through the making of the documentary, “Far East Deep South.” The film opened Chiu’s eyes to the history that he and others never knew about Chinese families in the Mississippi Delta during the Jim Crow and Chinese Exclusion era. Through this journey, Chiu gained insight into the complex circumstances that separated him from his father and the depth of his father’s love.

Subsequently, Chiu became passionate about educating others about restrictive immigration laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and the interconnected history between the Black and Chinese American communities in the segregated South. He also sought to highlight the long-standing legacy that many Chinese families, including his own, have in America.

Chiu will be laid to rest at Mount Vernon Memorial Park in Fair Oaks and his full obituary can be viewed on their website. He is survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters-in-law (including Larissa Lam, director of “Far East Deep South”) and three granddaughters.


Charles Chiu moved to Rancho Cordova in 1982. Photo courtesy of Giant Flashlight Media


About “Far East Deep South”

“Far East Deep South” is an award-winning documentary about Chinese American families in the Mississippi Delta during segregation that premiered on the World Channel (PBS) series, “America Reframed.” The film won a 2022 Telly Award and is currently streaming on Tubi, PBS Passport, Xfinity and Kanopy. The film was directed by Larissa Lam and produced by Baldwin Chiu and Larissa Lam. Visit http://fareastdeepsouth.com for more on the film.